Brian Blankenship (born April 7, 1963) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who spent his entire career as a

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He played

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for the

Nebraska Cornhuskers The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding t ...

Career

Blankenship played five seasons for the

. Upon joining the Steelers in 1987, Blankenship was in line to assume the role of successor to long-time Steelers center

Mike Webster Michael Lewis Webster (March 18, 1952September 24, 2002) was an American professional football center in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Footb ...

. Blankenship, who had played beside Webster, compared the experience of playing beside Webster like "going back to school" and "like having your big brother there in a fight". In week thirteen of the 1987 season, Blankenship and fellow guard John Rienstra were playing on special teams when they were lined up against newly drafted

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...

linebacker

Brian Bosworth Brian Keith Bosworth (born March 9, 1965), nicknamed "the Boz", is an American actor and former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. A two-time Dick But ...

. Bosworth, at the time was famous for his flamboyant attitude and rat-tail hairstyle, was double-teamed on a first-quarter kickoff by both Blankenship and Rienstra when Blankenship reached behind Bosworth's helmet and ripped the tail from Bosworth's head and took it to the Steelers' sideline as a "trophy". When asked if he kept the trophy, Blankenship responded "I threw it away with all the other trash. It was Bosworth’s, it ain’t worth nothing." The estimated two-foot tail was compared to "a Neo-Nazi thing...made of twine". Blankenship then compared Bosworth's rat-tail as an item used to distract from his lack of talent, something that followed him since college. A neck injury in the fourth week of the

1991 NFL season The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League (NFL). It was the final season for coach Chuck Noll. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills, 37–24, at the ...

against the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

forced Blankenship to miss the remaining 13 games of the season. Blankenship had actually verbally agreed to a new contract a day earlier, but never signed the paperwork. After informing Steelers President

Dan Rooney Daniel Milton Rooney (July 20, 1932 – April 13, 2017) was an American professional American football, football executive and diplomat best known for his association with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL), and son of ...

of his injury, Rooney wished him well, thanked him for his service, and allowed Blankenship to go "across the hall to get taken care of."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blankenship, Brian 1963 births Living people American football offensive guards Players of American football from Omaha, Nebraska Pittsburgh Steelers players Nebraska Cornhuskers football players Sportspeople from Bellevue, Nebraska People from Sarpy County, Nebraska 20th-century American sportsmen